diff --git a/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-5/modules/qtbase.nix b/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-5/modules/qtbase.nix
index 04a89558c3d0..3cb8a3e801cc 100644
--- a/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-5/modules/qtbase.nix
+++ b/pkgs/development/libraries/qt-5/modules/qtbase.nix
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ stdenv.mkDerivation {
     ''-D${if compareVersion "5.11.0" >= 0 then "LIBRESOLV_SO" else "NIXPKGS_LIBRESOLV"}="${stdenv.cc.libc.out}/lib/libresolv"''
     ''-DNIXPKGS_LIBXCURSOR="${libXcursor.out}/lib/libXcursor"''
   ] ++ lib.optional libGLSupported ''-DNIXPKGS_MESA_GL="${libGL.out}/lib/libGL"''
+    ++ lib.optional stdenv.isLinux "-DUSE_X11"
     ++ lib.optionals withGtk3 [
          ''-DNIXPKGS_QGTK3_XDG_DATA_DIRS="${gtk3}/share/gsettings-schemas/${gtk3.name}"''
          ''-DNIXPKGS_QGTK3_GIO_EXTRA_MODULES="${dconf.lib}/lib/gio/modules"''